Chapter 12

"Big brother, you... have changed a lot!" Qinglian, looking at Hu Gao's low-key yet somewhat showy expression, started to stutter, "But Qinglian likes your current appearance more!"

Hu Gao rolled his eyes. Did he even need to say that? He was a chosen one by the gods, and now he was just a dragon in shallow water, being teased by shrimps. Once he condensed a high-level totem, they would truly be amazed. However, he humbly said, "What do you mean? I'm still just a foodie."

"Hehe, if it's good, I'll come again tomorrow. Big brother taught Qinglian many cooking methods before."

"That's great, but Qinglian, because of my amnesia, I don't know anything now, so I have some questions to ask you."

"Sure, big brother, go ahead and ask."

"What's the situation with where I'm living now?"

"This is your residence after joining the main branch. After big brother was given the surname Hu, you started living here, about three years ago. Previously, it was heavily guarded, but I didn't see any guards today, so they might have been withdrawn."

"Do I have any relatives or friends?"

"Hmm." Qinglian paused for a moment and then said, "Big brother's parents passed away in a conflict with the Lang clan when you were three years old, so you stayed at our place until the high priest chose you as the successor and took you away."

"I see. What were my parents' names?" Although they were parents from another world whom he had never met, Hu Gao, who always respected the elderly and cared for the young, decided that if he became powerful in the future, he would avenge them. This would be a way to repay Qing Gao for giving him this body.

"Big brother's father was called Qinglin, and your mother wasn't from Ningcheng. We only know her surname was Sun. Uncle was a strong person in our Qingyi lineage and had traveled to many places in Longhua Kingdom for training. Later, he brought back Aunt, but I don't know much more about it."

Hu Gao nodded. He wasn't in a hurry to understand everything about his mother right now, as his strength was still too weak. Knowing the general situation was enough for now.

Thinking about this, Hu Gao suddenly missed his parents from his life in Huaxia. He had been a bookworm, never working, and had caused his parents a lot of worry for over twenty years. He hadn't even had the chance to repay them when he disappeared. If they knew he was missing, they would surely be very sad.

He also thought about his caring mentor, who might not have noticed his disappearance yet. He would probably only realize something was wrong when this month's research report wasn't submitted on time. Poor him, destined to be a footnote in the mysterious Shennongjia incident...

Thinking of this, Hu Gao couldn't help but feel a deep sorrow. His past life had been a failure, but no matter what, since heaven had given him a chance to be reborn in another world, he couldn't miss it!

"Big brother, what's wrong?" Seeing Hu Gao's eyes welling up with tears, Qinglian asked worriedly.

"Oh, oh, I'm fine."

"Right, big brother said you can't enter a meditative state. Let Qinglian help you."

"Wow, Qinglian is so amazing?"

Hu Gao felt that the little girl was becoming more and more like Wang Yuyan from "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils." She couldn't cultivate herself, but she seemed to know everything about cultivation, like an encyclopedia. Hey, who's the real scholar here!

In just the time it took to eat a meal, Hu Gao and Qinglian had become as close as siblings, which made him, who felt extremely insecure in this new world, feel much more at ease.

He sat back on the bed, put away his playful smile, and clasped his hands together on his knees. This was a gesture he had come up with based on books he had read before, which he felt helped him quickly calm his mind and enter a state of sleep.

Qinglian walked over, placed her small hand on Hu Gao's head, and closed her eyes. "Big brother, try to enter a meditative state again."

Hu Gao was still using the meditation technique taught by his fellow countryman from Huaxia. After using it before, he had indeed felt more energetic, so it should still be effective.

After a moment, Hu Gao felt his consciousness begin to blur, a sign that he was entering a deep sleep. After a long time, a faint white light appeared in the darkness before his eyes. Each time the white light appeared, it felt like a needle pricking his soles, causing intense pain. He wanted to open his eyes but found himself completely powerless.

The white light gradually filled his entire field of vision, and his mind went blank. Hu Gao was numb with pain, completely losing sensation. Was he dying?

"Hey! I didn't expect this, you're a real demon!" The voice of his fellow countryman in his mind suddenly spoke up.

This voice startled Hu Gao, making him more alert. "Why did you show up?"

"Obisulachi! If I don't come out now, I, Old Liu, will die an unnatural death. To think that I, who was once so wise and brave, would die at the hands of a little girl, how unjust!"

"Stupid Hu, that little girl has already helped you complete the soul imprint fusion. Quickly try to guide those white lights into your body, or we'll both be in trouble today!"

Hu Gao was frightened by his fellow countryman's words and realized the situation was serious. He forced himself to refocus, imagining his body as a container that needed a pipe to draw the white dots into it.

To his surprise, this method worked. Soon, Hu Gao felt a warm current enter his body, and his entire body quickly became warm, as if he were in a steamer.

"Rushing..."

Hu Gao felt a flow of energy moving through his body, like water or dragons and snakes weaving through, giving a smooth and clear sensation.

He didn't pay attention to this feeling. As soon as he closed his eyes, he focused his energy in his dantian, letting his mind follow the energy and his spirit follow his mind.

He felt time passing very slowly, as if he were stuck in a moment, unable to make any progress.

"Mind and soul, the soul in the heart." The voice of his fellow countryman spoke again.

Hu Gao's heart stirred, and he quickly sensed a faint energy fluctuation deep within his heart.

"Whisper..."

This wondrous energy, upon being sensed by Hu Gao, seemed to respond to some kind of call and moved slightly.

Realizing this, Hu Gao was overjoyed. This was the rhythm of the soul being awakened. He had awakened his soul without any obstacles, and so quickly.

"Is it the jade pendant?"

However, Hu Gao soon felt a warm sensation spreading from his neck into his body, and he immediately understood that the jade pendant had helped him.

"Rushing..."

In no time, Hu Gao felt countless unknown energies converging in his body. Each particle of energy seemed to hide a prehistoric beast, roaring deafeningly. The combined roar of millions of beasts made him feel on the verge of collapse.